Casteldoria Lake

Lake Casteldoria is an artificial reservoir with a capacity of about 8 million m³ of water for almost exclusive hydroelectric use, created by the artificial damming of the Coghinas river with the construction of a dam in 1956. It is located at the foot of Monte Ruiu. The lake is not only fed by the river but is also hydraulically connected to the larger and better known Lake Coghinas.

The lake surface area is 400,000 km² with an average depth of 20 metres. The water quality is not the best as the lake is sandwiched between fields and pastures and therefore receives high concentrations of nutrients (phosphorous and nitrogen) from agronomic operations. At the mouth of the gorge of Monte Ruiu towards the sea are the thermal baths of Casteldoria, from whose springs gushes forth water that reaches a temperature of 70°C, whose properties were already known to the Romans who passed through Anglona.

Although there is no Environmental Education Centre on site that provides guides to guide visitors in birdwatching, you can do this activity on your own, in total freedom. In fact, you can observe some species of animals, especially birds that stop, winter and nest. You can identify moorhens (Gallinula chloropus), kingfishers (Alcedo atthis), grey herons (Ardea cinerea) and ducks such as mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and coots (Fulica atra). The kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and the marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) are also present. Tree frogs (Hyla sarda), the grass snake (Natrix natrix) and the grass snake (Hierophis viridiflavus) live in and near the waters.

Some local sports clubs also offer kayaking and canoeing trips on this lake.